Experimental investigation on the influence of weak interlayers on sandstone rockburst and associated microcracking mechanism

Weak interlayers (WI) are common in sedimentary rock masses in deep coal mines. The qualitative effect of the WI on rockbursts is widely acknowledged; however, its influence mechanism still needs further investigation. In the present study, true triaxial unloading rockburst tests of sandstone with WI and calcite veins (CV) were conducted to explore their influence mechanisms. To explore the impact of WI, the rockburst stress, failure modes, acoustic emission (AE) parameters (energy, entropy, and b-value), and spatial energy characteristics of AE events were analyzed. The influence of the area ratio of WI and their distribution patterns (centralization and dispersion) on rockburst were further investigated. The results indicate that the rockburst stress (peak of maximum principal stress) decreased by 4 % for every 1 % increase in the sandstone's dispersion WI area ratio (1.9%–9.3 %). Namely, rockburst is more likely to occur when there is appropriate WI distributed in the sandstone because WI exacerbates the microcrack activities and energy release. The CV will reduce the weakening effect of WI on rockburst stress and can enhance the rockburst intensity, especially in samples with dispersion WI. Moreover, the more considerable AE energy is released around CV for the sandstone with dispersion WI. The interface between WI and matrix is prone to rockburst for the sandstone with centralized WI because of the concentrated energy release. The results of this paper can provide a reference for the prevention and control of rockbursts in mine sedimentary rocks containing WI and CV.